Official opening of the SADC Pharmaceutical Business Plan

Dr Mkhonta-Gama alluded in her opening to the declaration to come out of the Swaziland gathering. By way of recap, she noted that in a previous workshop on Sunday, there was a call to the media to support the secretariat but the media noted that information is needed in a timely manner. The media also noted that the secretariat was not always accessible. They further noted that simplicity of language was required. They felt that the issues of SADC were elitist and lacking in relevance to the common man.

Yesterday (31 July) we looked at industrialisation and pharmaceuticals among other issues.

"We all know how burdened by disease the region is that something needs to be done, and it needed to be done yesterday', Dr Mkhonta-Gama noted. She added that member states needed to work with the secretariat. She noted thanks to those who had worked on the pharmaceutical business plan and how important this plan was.